


Haircut

by nhasablog



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man - All Media Types
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Haircuts, Rhodey is the best friend, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-10-06 15:47:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10338196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: Rhodey cuts Tony’s hair. That’s literally it.





	

The sound of scissors slicing through his hair overwhelmed him for just a second before Tony snapped out of it, trying to relax his tensed up shoulders as he did. He’d asked for this, he reminded himself. Had practically begged Rhodey to do this.

Rhodey paused mid-motion, as if he could sense Tony’s hesitation. “All good?”

Tony hummed. “All good. Keep going.”

The sound filled his ears once again, but this time he felt calmer, more in control, as they cut off the split ends and bad times.

He’d hit one of the biggest lows of his life so far, and as he’d refused to leave his lab for weeks on end his appearance had started changing, and he’d been forced to accept it when Rhodey had eventually marched in to help him sort his life out again. He was thinner than before, his skin a lot paler, and his hair was almost as long as it had been in college when he’d refused to cut it until the summer when he would have to meet his father and the public eye again. Back then the long hair had been all about liberation. Now it was a remnant of a time that had consisted of nothing but work, coffee, and loneliness.

It had taken him a week before he finally asked Rhodey to cut it off. He knew Rhodey had never cut anyone’s hair in his life, but to leave the Tower looking like this would be too much. To call for someone else to do it and in the process see him like this would be too much. In a way it was only right that Rhodey, who’d saved him too many times to count, would be the one so save him once again.

“Stay still,” Rhodey muttered behind him, a hand grabbing the side of his head momentarily to cease Tony’s movements.

“I’m just making it easier for you to blame the awful result on me later.”

“Ha ha. You shouldn’t be insulting me when I’m cutting your hair, you know.” The scissors sliced through his hair again. The sound was almost therapeutic at this point. It became easier to hear after every cut.

Rhodey worked slowly, carefully, and Tony found that he didn’t mind how long it was taking. They were in Tony’s bedroom, since Tony’s request to not have a mirror in his face excluded every single bathroom. Tony could occasionally feel a breeze of cold air come their way through the open window, and the March air was sweet with a promise of spring. How could he have hidden away from it?

One last snip and Rhodey took a step back to admire his work. “I think it’s acceptable until you get someone who knows what they’re doing to fix it up. Do you want to go look?”

Tony stood, his head feeling empty, and walked into the bathroom to examine his new do. “Huh. Well, I’ve looked worse.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. You’re welcome.”

Tony stuck his head out to shoot him a grin. “Thanks, Rhodey Bear. I couldn’t have asked for a better hairdresser.”

Rhodey waved a hand at him. “Oh hush, you’re making me blush.”

Tony walked back into the bedroom and glanced at the sea of hair surrounding the chair. “We should probably deal with this.”

“We probably should.” Rhodey looked up at him then, and Tony felt weirdly observed. “How are you feeling?”

Tony shifted from foot to foot. “My neck feels exposed.”

“Good thing nothing’s coming for your neck then.” Rhodey reached out to flutter his fingers over his nape, making Tony recoil with a yelp. “Whoops, my bad.”

“Don’t do that,” Tony said, but his stupid smile couldn’t stay off of his face.

Rhodey didn’t listen and just repeated his actions. “You mean this?”

Tony scrunched up his shoulders and tried to take a step away, but Rhodey just followed him. “Yes, that!”

“Why? What’s wrong with doing this?” He used his other hand to go for the skin under Tony’s chin, and realizing that he was being attacked on both sides made laughter pour out of Tony’s mouth. He’d never been able to take neck tickles, and Rhodey knew it.

“Stohohop!” he cried, trying and failing to grab at Rhodey’s wrists since he didn’t know what the hell he was even doing in this state. “Shihihit!”

“I’ve missed your laughter. I think this is good for you,” Rhodey said as if Tony wasn’t dying at his hands. Oh, how many times had they not been in this situation.

In a series of escape attempts Tony managed to land on his bed with Rhodey standing beside him looking all smug. His expression changed completely when he realized that, “Man, I stepped into your hair,” and Tony was then laughing for completely different reasons. This spring would be better than the winter was, he decided there and then. It had to.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://nhasablog.tumblr.com)


End file.
